Imagine moving into a rental unit without signing any sort of contract or lease. Would you worry that you might be forced to move out for any reason at any time, or would you use the lack of a contract to your advantage?

In this story, one renter was worried at first when he wasn’t given a rentbook, but eventually, he realized how this situation could really work in his favor.

Keep reading for all the details.

No rentbook? No rent then.

A very long time ago when a week’s rent was closer to what you’d pay for lunch now I was recently returned to my home country with my new partner, and near broke.

We were trying to save money to buy our first house and as a first rental we took a small basement for a few months … and soon outgrew it as we acquired more furniture for our hoped-for new home.

Since we needed a bigger space we found a flat that was twice as big, twice as old, and 50% more rent.

Our budget was going to take a hit, but we were young & happy, and the new flat had a lot more sunshine than our previous basement deal.

There was only one problem.

There was one minor problem though – our landlord.

It’s not like he was getting in our faces or making unreasonable demands … or whatever it is other bad landlords do. This guy was just not bothering to supply us with a rent book or any sort of agreement or contract.

I didn’t think it was really his fault, as he seemed to be henpecked and under the thumb of his wife who had him running their businesses while she … spent the money and dodged the taxman, presumably.

I asked him for a contract and rentbook when we signed up, and when I collected the keys a few days later, but I always got the same story – “I’ll have them for you next time”.

Eventually, the renter realized “next time” was never going to happen.

Next time I asked the same question was two weeks later when I paid the next fortnight’s rent, and again after we’d been there for four weeks.

So, I get it … we’re never getting a rent book, so I’ll stop asking.

Another two weeks roll by, and for some reason (presumably because of not having a rent book) I just forgot to go to his shop to pay him.

Late the next week I realise I’ve screwed up, and have a minor panic about losing my non-contracted tenancy.

But OP had nothing to worry about.

I get to the landlord’s shop to pay our late rent, and I’m about to offer my apologies for being seven days late, but before I can say anything the landlord starts …,

“Oh, it’s you. I didn’t realise it was rent day so soon.”

I quickly pass it off with something lame like, “Oh you know me, regular as clockwork”, reckoning he either gets the joke – or doesn’t.

Yea – he doesn’t.

They took advantage of the situation.

I walk out of the shop thinking about how I’ve just got away with a week’s free rent, and by the time I get home to my partner I’d decided this could work in our favour.

From that day on, until we’re moving into our own place (about seven months later) I only pay the landlord two weeks rent every three weeks.

The landlord seems pretty disorganized not to notice all the late rent payments.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This person had a generous landlord.

Another person thinks OP went too far.

Here’s a similar comment.

Perhaps.

I Googled it, and it’s a record of rent payments.

The landlord missed out on a lot of rent!

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.